


i'm putting my defences up ('cause i don't wanna fall in love)

by MaddieandChimney



Series: Meet Cutes [8]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Always, F/M, inspired by Ghost Whisperer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:54:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26770222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaddieandChimney/pseuds/MaddieandChimney
Summary: "Do you have a name?""The Nurse from apartment five works just fine."
Relationships: Maddie Buckley/Howie "Chimney" Han
Series: Meet Cutes [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1927492
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	i'm putting my defences up ('cause i don't wanna fall in love)

“Hey there.”

Maddie’s head snaps up at the sound of an unfamiliar voice, biting down on her lip when she immediately recognises the face of the man standing in front of her apartment building, “Uh… hey?”

“I was just coming to check if you were okay, you refused to get checked out.” 

She pauses, her eyes seeking his as she tries to decipher what he wants from her, if anything. She’d always prided herself on being a people person, on being able to understand what people were feeling. All she can see in his eyes right then is kindness and concern, which is crazy because she’s nothing more than a stranger he’d helped earlier that day when the sweet old lady from the apartment above hers had accidentally set a fire in her kitchen. “Oh, I’m fine, I’m a nurse, I know all the signs of smoke inhalation to look out for.”

It’s with a shrug that she tries to brush it off, although he’s frowning as though he doesn’t believe her. She can remember how slightly irritated he had seemed when she had told him and his partner that she didn’t need anyone to look her over. “You know you’re not in your uniform anymore and I still don’t need anyone to look after me.” Maddie isn’t one to be ever be rude to another person but she’s been taking care of herself for the past two years since her husband died, and she definitely doesn’t need a random paramedic looking at her as though she’s some damsel in distress who needs saving. “Don’t you have anywhere better to be?”

Maddie brushes past him, down the steps outside of her apartment building, hoping he won’t follow her but instead, he’s behind her, hands in his pockets as he steps in front of her. “I’m sorry, I really did just come to check if you were okay.” It’s in the light of the street that she can see the way his cheeks are flushed, the embarrassment clear on his face as he shoves both his hands further into his pockets. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“No, I’m sorry, it’s been a long day. I had a night shift and then I woke up to you banging on my door and smoke everywhere and now my apartment stinks.”

It’s with an awkward laugh that he nods his head, “Yeah, about that, I also came to check on your smoke alarm, it really should have gone off and then maybe you’d had an even louder wake up call.” Oh, of course, he’s a firefighter, that would definitely be the one thing on his mind, and she has to admit it was on her list of things to have checked.

“I’m actually heading to the store right now to grab as much air freshener and fabric spray as I possibly can but it’s on my list, I promise. I’ve literally just moved in like three weeks ago from across town and it’s moved up to number one on my priority list, promise—after I make the apartment smell less like a smokehouse.” Now it’s her turn for her cheeks to turn red as she shakes her head, the blush deepening when his frown does. “Or you can come to the store with me and check it when we get back? I promise I won’t take long, it’s only around the corner.”

His shoulders seem to relax at that and he nods his head, “I’m Howie by the way.”

“I thought that woman called you Chimney earlier?”

“T-that’s uh, a nickname.” His hands are out of his pocket, one moving to rub the back of his neck instead and she wonders if it’s possible for him to get any redder than he is right then, causing her to let out a laugh before she carries on walking. “Do you have a name?”

“Doesn’t everyone?”

“Ah, alright, smart ass. What’s your name? Or do I just need to call you the Nurse from apartment five?” Maddie’s smile is bright when she tilts her head to the side to look at him, realising, and not for the first time, just how cute he is. He has dark eyes that are so full of emotion, she imagines it gives him away a lot. His smile is contagious, and as his nerves deplete, she’s starting to see some of that confident firefighter-paramedic who had, with a lot of authority, demanded she leave her apartment earlier that day.

“Maddie. But the Nurse from apartment five works, too.”

“Nice to meet you, _Maddie.”_

She nudges him gently with her shoulder as they walk down the street, “And you, Howie.”


End file.
